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Indira Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad, India, and became the country's first female Prime Minister. She played a key role in India’s nuclear program, the Green Revolution, and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. However, her decision to order Operation Blue Star in 1984 angered Sikh militants.Her death led to widespread anti-Sikh riots, and her son Rajiv Gandhi took over as Prime Minister. -
Born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad, India.
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Studied at Shantiniketan (India) and Oxford University (UK) but did not complete her degree.
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Married Feroze Gandhi and joined the Quit India Movement, fighting against British rule.
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Became a member of the Congress Working Committee, gaining prominence in Indian politics.
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Elected President of the Indian National Congress.
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Became Minister of Information Broadcasting under Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
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Became India’s first female Prime Minister after the sudden death of Lal Bahadur Shastri.
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Nationalized 14 major banks, improving access to loans for rural areas and small businesses.
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Led India in the Bangladesh Liberation War, defeating Pakistan and recognizing Bangladesh as an independent nation.
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Signed the Shimla Agreement with Pakistan to establish peace after the war.
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Conducted India’s first nuclear test (Smiling Buddha), making India a nuclear power.
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Declared a state of Emergency, suspending civil liberties, censoring the press, and jailing opposition leaders.
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Implemented a forced sterilization program for population control, which was widely criticized.
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Lost the general elections due to growing opposition to Emergency policies.
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Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984, at her residence in New Delhi by her Sikh bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh. This was in retaliation for Operation Blue Star, a military operation she ordered in June 1984 to remove Sikh militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Her assassination led to nationwide riots, particularly targeting the Sikh community.